CM Says Digital Health Records For All Citizens To Be Ready In A Year
Special focus on screening and analysing top ten diseases: Reports
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday called for a shift towards preventive healthcare to reduce the financial burden of medical expenses on the people.
He called for extensive use of technology and expert guidance to strengthen the public health systems. Collection of the digital health records of all citizens would be completed within a year, with special focus on screening and analysing the top ten diseases.
Chairing a review meeting of the health department at the secretariat, the CM said Andhra Pradesh was adopting global standards prescribed by the World Health Organisation etc to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes.
In collaboration with the Gates Foundation, the state has constituted a 10-member medical advisory group comprising eminent national and international experts.
The panel includes UNAIDS executive director Peter Piot, former WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan, AIG Hospitals chairman Dr Nageshwar Reddy, Singapore National University professor Y.Y. Teo, retired IAS officer Arti Ahuja, CyteCare chairperson Rizwan Koita, Khosla Labs founder Srikanth Nadhamuni, Gates Foundation genomics and epidemiology director Dr Gagandeep Kang, public health expert Margaret Elizabeth and AIIMS Delhi endocrinology department head Dr Nikhil Tandon.
The experts participated in the meeting in virtual mode.
Naidu said digital health records for citizens are being developed under the Sanjeevani project. As a pilot initiative, health data has been integrated through a digital nerve centre in Kuppam and Chittoor, enabling real-time access to individual health information.
The project would soon be expanded across the state, providing citizens access to comprehensive health data.
The chief minister said emphasis must be placed on digital AI-enabled healthcare, health financing reforms and expansion of medical infrastructure, including the Med Tech Park for manufacturing advanced medical devices.
Prioritising disease prevention over post illness treatment, he said, would significantly reduce healthcare costs, improve public health and enhance economic well-being. Andhra Pradesh would showcase its technology-driven healthcare policies at the upcoming Global AI Convention in Mumbai.
Naidu also cited initiatives aimed at improving personal hygiene among students in tribal areas and reiterated that effective implementation at the grassroots level was critical for policy success.
Members of the advisory group offered suggestions on nutrition, pollution control, health education, AI-driven diagnostics, digital healthcare training for doctors and nurses, and addressing root causes of diseases.
Gates Foundation India country director Archana Vyas said the foundation would work closely with the AP government to establish a health secretariat for public health monitoring.
Health minister Satya Kumar Yadav said the Chief Minister had proposed biannual meetings with the advisory group and entrusted the Gates Foundation with the job of preparing a consolidated action plan for implementation.